Coriolis Force - GS questions based on daily current affairs

1)   The horizontal deflection effect caused by the Coriolis Force is

a. Greater near the pole
b. Greater near the equator
c. Equally Distributed all over the earth’s surface
d. More near the surface of the earth and lesser above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Greater near the pole

Explanation:

  • The horizontal deflection effect is greater near the poles and smallest at the equator, since the rate of change in the diameter of the circles of latitude when travelling north or south, increases the closer the object is to the poles.
  • This effect is responsible for the rotation of large cyclones.
2)   Which of the following is correct about Coriolis Force?

a. Coriolis Force affects only the large-scale movement of air in the atmosphere
b. Coriolis Effect is caused due to rotation of Earth and pressure difference between two points
c. Winds are deflected to the right in the Southern hemisphere
d. If it was not for the Earth’s rotation, global winds would blow in straight north-south lines
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: If it was not for the Earth’s rotation, global winds would blow in straight north-south lines

Explanation:

  • The Coriolis effect is caused by the rotation of the Earth and the inertia of the mass experiencing the effect. Because the Earth completes only one rotation per day, the Coriolis force is quite small, and its effects generally become noticeable only for motions occurring over large distances and long periods of time, such as large-scale movement of air in the atmosphere or water in the ocean.
  • This force causes moving objects on the surface of the Earth to be deflected to the right (with respect to the direction of travel) in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

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